The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum established in the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the careers of several players - including head coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The emerging side's strong showing in the UK this season, under a new captain, suggested a seamless changeover post the almost concurrent departures of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the domestic season boosted that belief, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a fell blow.
India were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the side of the well below standard performance in both Tests against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and several players aspiring to lengthy Test careers were shown as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Worrying Trend
This was the second whitewash at home suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had pulled off a surprising 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage the team's prospects of reaching the showpiece of this cycle too.
From number three in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to the fifth spot. Though nine additional matches are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a major plus - even against the strong Australian side. However the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason India have struggled so much in Test matches at home lately is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that assisted spinners and aided their squad, India brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against England, was considered an anomaly.
Now, India look to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they developed to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as rivals exploited them better, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is failing at home because local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to succeed in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars play, has taken away the mystery and hardship home wickets would pose to them earlier.
While there is validity in both analyses, it still does not explain why the team's showings on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
Most former players diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have identified several failings post India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, questionable picks, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the displays of the team.
Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - were found wanting in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem targeted just the players - the selection panel and backroom team were also questioned, driven by disappointed supporters and critical former players. Under focus of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
